Generally, Filipinos are known to be musically inclined. Most of us are fond of singing at karaoke, creating improvised lyrics, making catchy beats, and joining singing contests. In fact, we have seen many reaction videos of foreign people on YouTube who are often shocked at how we deliver high notes and how serious we can get in just singing at a coin-operated karaokes in any place and chance we have.

OPM, or Original Pilipino Music, was referred to as Filipino Pop Ballads in the 1970s and 1980s. However, due to the transitional period, OPM is now categorized as any Filipino popular music that is composed and performed by a Filipino or someone who originates from our country. This is where Pinoy Rock enters; it is already common information that any gathering, such as just a regular ‘inuman’ or drinking with friends, or as big as concerts and festivals like ‘Oktoberfest,’ a festival that also involves drinking, is celebrated and enjoyed while playing and singing to the Pinoy Rock songs.

We, Filipinos, are also known to be cheerful, and we find simple ways to enjoy even the littlest moments. That is why we have multiple music festivals here in the Philippines that are enjoyed by almost everyone. Some of these are the Wanderland Manila, which is a fascinating music event that unites several genres while highlighting well-known musicians and regional independent musicians, also considered among Manila’s most well-known events. As a matter of fact, Wanderland has amassed a devoted fan base known as Wanderers due to its increasing popularity.

We also have the famous Hydro Manila Music Festival, wherein you can expect to be soaked while enjoying the fun of your life with the top EDM performers! One of the largest music festival productions in the nation, Hydro Manila stands out for focusing on the integration of music, water, and life. They even show off their love of music by using the hashtag #WeMakeItRain while enjoying the unrestricted flow of water.

While all of these sound fun, they are not as anticipated as the ‘Last Rakrakan Festival’ which happened from November 26 to November 27, 2023, at SMDC Festival Grounds in Parañaque City. Over the course of two days, the Last Rakrakan Festival showcased the skills of over 150 renowned musicians and offered a varied spectrum of musical genres. Stars of the music industry like Rico Blanco and Ely Buendia emerged as the major attractions of this incredible occasion.

The Last Rakrakan Festival gave musicians, from up-and-coming stars such as Dilaw, Adie, Rob Deniel, Kiyo, Allmost, and Just Hush to well-known artists like December Avenue, Mayonnaise, 6cyclemind, and many more, a stage on which to interact with their followers and expose music enthusiasts to fresh, intriguing sounds. In addition to the music, the festival included a variety of food vendors, retail stores, and hands-on activities to further improve the overall experience for visitors. Participants were able to experience a lively environment that honored the rich cultural legacy of Philippine music while also getting to know a variety of musical performances and sounds.

This event motivated Capstone-Intel to create a social intelligence report on Pinoy Rock that focuses on how the ‘Rakrakan Festival’ drew great online support from November 28 of 2022 to November 28 of 2023.

On the social media platform Facebook, Capstone-Intel has gathered a total of 2,017 posts, 34,319 comments, 54,484 shares and a total of 290,411 reactions, which if broken down, 137,380 ‘love’ reactions (47.30%), 116,117 likes (40%), 28,419 ‘haha’ reactions (9.80%), 5,011 ‘wow’ reactions (1.70%), 3,397 ‘sad’ reactions (1.20%) and 117 ‘angry’ reactions (0.10%).

The highest performing post came from December Avenue who received 3,719 (82.10%) ‘love’ reactions, 658 likes, 141 (3.10%) ‘wow’ reactions, 11 (0.20%) ‘sad’ reactions, 1 (0.00%) ‘haha’ reaction and 0 (0.00%) ‘angry’ reactions.

Lastly, the second highest performing post was from the Rakrakan Festival page. It received 3,112 (32.10%) ‘love’ reactions, 1,838 (30.80%) likes, 831 (13.90%) ‘wow’ reactions, 133 (2.20%) ‘haha’ reactions, 50 (0.80%) ‘sad’ reactions, and 5 (0.10%) ‘angry’ reactions.